The technique disclosed in this specification relates to a robot apparatus provided with a plurality of arm sections, a method of controlling the robot apparatus, and a computer program. More particularly, this technique relates to a robot apparatus for carrying out work using any one of arm sections in accordance with a situation in a surrounding environment that is dynamically changing every moment, a method of controlling the robot apparatus, and a computer program.
A large number of arms are operated in a factory at the same time. In general, tasks to be performed by each arm are determined in advance, and an arm and corresponding tasks to be performed by that arm are fixedly designed.
In contrast, it is assumed that a life support robot is engaged in activities in our daily life. A surrounding environment in which the robot operates is dynamically changing every moment, and thus it is necessary for the robot to determine which of the arms is used in accordance with a situation in order to carry out work. That is to say, a task to be performed by each arm of a life support robot is not determined in advance, and thus it is not possible to fixedly design tasks to be performed by each arm.
For example, when operating an object with two arms, a proposal has been made of a dual arm robot that uses an arm which is near to that object (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-167902). However, there are cases where an object is easily grasped by an arm that is located farther than an arm that is located nearer depending on a posture of an object to be grasped, and a positional relationship with surrounding environmental objects. It is thought that a strategy of using an arm that is nearer to an object to be grasped is used only in a limited situation in which posture of the object to be grasped is fixed, and there is no obstacle.
In a medical field, etc., a robot provided with three arms or more has been introduced (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT Application) No. 2008-541990). It is predicted that a question as to which of the arms is used for operation among a plurality of arms will become important all the more when there is an object in various circumstances with an increase in the number of arms.